Pastors leading their flocks to private screenings

The price of admission for his entire congregation wasnt enough to keep Pastor Todd Foster from an advanced screening of "The Passion of the Christ."

William Kaempffer

Published
12:00 am EST, Wednesday, February 25, 2004

So the leader of New Havens nondenominational Church on the Rock rented an entire theater at Regal Cinema 12 in Branford  to the tune of more than $3,000.

"Christ offered the extreme sacrifice, and for me to spend a few dollars to convey that message is in the same vein," said Foster. "I had no problem with spending the money. It was that important to me."

Across the country, church groups are following suit, reserving hundreds of tickets for private screenings of director Mel Gibsons graphic story of Jesus final 12 hours.

The movie officially debuts today.

Pastor Will Marotti, of New Life Church in Meriden, rented theaters at the Holiday Meriden Cinemas for his congregation tonight and Thursday.

The church bought 200 tickets for each night at more than $8 each and offered them to parishioners for $4.

"We have sold every ticket. I wish we would have gone three nights," said Marotti. "Its remarkable to me."

And its been the trend with this movie, Showcase Cinemas spokeswoman Jennifer Hanson said.

"Weve had a number of groups, particularly faith-based, set up special showings and special screenings, reserve an entire auditorium and buy out an entire show," she said.

"The difference between that and this, is for Star Wars it would run the gamut from childrens birthdays to companies doing corporate outings," she said. "Here, the large majority were seeing is religious outings."

Before the film was even released, more than 150 groups set up private screenings at Showcase Cinemas nationwide.

Foster said he was using the screening for outreach . He gave the 272 tickets to parishioners and asked them to invite friends who were "un-churched."

"This is not a free movie night," he said. "This is going to be an outreach of the church and we feel biblically compelled to spread the Gospel. The price of admission is they have to listen to me for 10 minutes."

Even as the faithful line up for tickets, merchandise already has started to hit the market, ranging from the movie soundtrack to books to a necklace with a small Crucifixion spike as a pendant.

But most local stores specializing in religious gifts and supplies either dont have the movie merchandise in stock yet or dont plan to carry it at all.

"You dont want to mix Hollywood" with religion, said Bea Dozier-Taylor of Walk in Truth Christian Books on Edgewood Avenue in New Haven.

Sean Baker, of Patrick Baker and Sons religious suppliers in Fairfield, said there are 30 or so "Passion" items offered by suppliers.

"Theres one piece that has really sold like crazy," he said. "Its a nail. Its an actual spike on a rope that people can wear around their neck. I thought it was kind of macabre."

He said while he found some of the merchandise interesting, "we didnt want to buy all this memorabilia and then have it sitting on the shelves when the movie is no longer a story."